Ira Kriston ’05
Drew Justice ’05
Caleb Streeter ’03

Can you guess which one the others describe as mellow? Out-going? A comedian? Has a couple of month’s worth of music on his iPod®? Who is the serious Illini basketball fan? The one who loves football? Who listens to Jimi Hendrix—and who likes rapper 50 Cent?

Ira: Nobody is ‘normal’—and nobody is smart in everything. And so you can’t talk about a ‘typical’ P.A.C.E. student. We all like to do different things. I’m good at trivia. And I have a good memory for dates. For example, February 4, 1951. It was a Sunday.

Drew: People are different in many ways. I’m not a big fan of country music—but other people like it.

What does being independent mean to me? Being on my own. Doing my own cooking. Working. Planning my own activities. Maybe moving to Florida in five years.

Caleb: I have a phenomenal boss who understands me. I like to do things with friends like go the movies or to dinner. My favorite movie: Hook. And I like to eat steak, well done, with loaded mashed potatoes.

And I have gut feelings when something is wrong. I look at people’s faces and I can tell.

Kristin Meyn ’03
Liz Hachmann ’02

They describe each other using the same words: Talkative. Likes boys. A good friend. Doesn’t drive you crazy. They both like football, particularly the Chicago Bears—and have strong opinions about the team’s quarterback…something has to change, and soon.

Kristin: I work at TJ Maxx and help unload the trucks. I have a roommate, which has its good and bad side. My parents hover a little bit, but it’s good sometimes. Sometimes you just need someone to listen to you.

Liz: Independent means not living with my parents. Hanging out with my friends. I live by myself in an apartment—and it’s nice to do things when I want to do them. But sometimes it gets lonely. Right now I’m looking for a clerical job since the company I worked for went out of business.

Sherman Muller
Waylene Junior ’01
Heidi Monnier ’98
Collin Mize ’06

Waylene: I found out about P.A.C.E. from a friend in Cleveland. The people at P.A.C.E. were really nice—and they listened to me.

I work at Jewel/Osco and live in an apartment by myself. I had to get used to living alone but I like feeling free. I like to cook chicken and mashed potatoes, play with my computer and spend time with my friends.

Marriage is a big responsibility and I want to be prepared. Everything will be different—even grocery shopping. I met Sherman on a blind date at the Flat Top Restaurant. It took me a while to get used to him. He’s cute and makes me laugh.

Sherman (Waylene’s fiancé): I think Waylene was playing hard to get. She’s pretty, intelligent—and has a great smile.

Heidi: I want to be an Early Childhood teacher. I’m patient and I don’t give up. Independence means doing things on your own. At P.A.C.E. I learned how to take the bus and the train. I like METRA better than the EL.

I cook tuna casseroles and macaroni and cheese—and I like to watch Oprah and movies with Julia Roberts in them. I like to listen to country music, especially Shania Twain. Right now I’m worried about the environment and I’m into renewable energy and recycling.

There was a time when I didn’t want to graduate from the P.A.C.E. program because I was a little bit anxious about being on my own. Now I try to assure my parents that I’m OK.

Collin: Heidi is pretty and sweet. We’ve been dating since 2004 and we plan to get married in 2010. When we have our own place, we’re going to get a German Shepherd. And Heidi isn’t just a good cook. She’s a great cook.

Lisa Hoberman Cohen ’90
Son Brandon, age 5
Daughter Ashley, age 8

Lisa: My children are my sunshine. I want them to grow up and be happy, healthy, loved —and to fall in love. I want them to lead full lives, but I’m also worried about their safety because the world sometimes isn’t a safe place. As they get older, it’s important that we keep the lines of communication open. That they know they can talk to me about anything.

I want people to know that all things are possible and that it is so important that parents make sure that their children know how much they are loved. And that it is important to listen to them. And to always be there for them.

Ashley: When I grow up I want to be an artist.

Brandon: I want to be Spiderman®.

Andy Farley ’90
George Babb ’90

Andy: I’ve traveled to a lot of places with my parents. Through the Panama Canal. Hong Kong. Singapore. Thailand. Northern Europe. Russia. The Mediterranean. The Amalfi Coast of Italy.

I’m an exhibit guide at Kohl Children’s Museum and one of my favorite exhibits is the City of Chicago: City on the Move. I’ve always liked kids and to watch how they learn. Patience and sharing are the hardest to learn. Each child grows his own way. You can’t classify kids. You have to structure programs for the individual student. Having a learning disability just means you learn differently.

My parents always expected me to be independent. At P.A.C.E. I learned the skills you need to find and keep a job—and to have a life.

George: Andy and I were the first guys at P.A.C.E. and we were roommates. We liked it—and so did the girls.

I’m working at North Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) with disabled adults and I also have a certificate from Oakton Community College in Early Childhood. I also worked in the Evanston School District.

Our support system for people with learning disabilities is ‘disabled’ because a lot of people don’t know how to handle people with disabilities. Parents need to pay attention to their children and do the best they can for them so that they can grow up to be independent.

That’s what P.A.C.E. is all about. A place that teaches you how to do things on your own.

Amy Leff ’96

I work at a children’s therapy clinic and live by myself in a two-bedroom apartment. The walls in my bedroom are painted purple! I have a panda collection and I have a younger brother.

P.A.C.E. was important to me. I learned how to use transportation, make friends, get along with my roommate, and solve problems. First you have to declare that it IS a problem. Then decide why it’s a problem. And then you try to solve the problem.

I’m living on my own. Living in the world. That’s what being independent means. Being able to do things on your own.

Andy Bowe ’02 with his mom

Andy: My father and I have been to the Copper Canyon in Mexico, Tanzania, the Mediterranean, Bali, Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing and Bangkok. I want to educate people about other cultures.

All parents want is what’s best for their kids. I know mine do. And my parents expected me to be independent.

Cathy: Andy is amazing. Odds-defying. Loving. And hard working. But he had to get away from us to be independent. And we didn’t know the extent to which he could live independently. It takes courageous parents to let their children go. You can’t micro-manage —and you have to have faith in them and in the program.

If a very independent life is not what parents want for their child, then they won’t be able to let go. We were excited that P.A.C.E. was a post-high school program with a college-type atmosphere. At the first parents’ welcome session, Carol Burns, the director, also talked about the pedagogy that focused on children with diverse needs—and that was exciting as well.

Courtney Larimer ’05 with her parents

Courtney’s parents live in Wisconsin and, although initially concerned that Evanston, Illinois was far away from them, decided that the P.A.C.E. program would give Courtney the best chance to live an independent life.

Courtney: I graduated from P.A.C.E. in 2005 and my best memories are about all the friends I made. A friend is someone who is loyal and trustworthy. Someone you can tell secrets to and know they won’t tell anyone else.

I’m working at a day-care center—and I love working with little kids. There are great people working there—and all of the teachers really care.

Everybody has different disabilities. But it is only part of who you are.

Keith and Colleen Larimer: P.A.C.E. gives young adults with learning disabilities the chance to be just like everybody else. They come out of the program independent—and we’ve seen the difference in Courtney. She’s grown in leaps and bounds in terms of making an income, budgeting and social skills. She even takes the EL into Chicago!

Courtney makes us so proud. She has a truly great heart.

Eugene Raytman

Eugene: I work at UPS loading and unloading trucks. The packages needs to fit on to the conveyor belt because if they’re too big, then they jam everything up.

My family is from Ukraine and Eugene is the masculine form of my grandmother’s name. My aunt is a Holocaust survivor; so was my grandmother. I’ve been to the Holocaust museum in Israel and my aunt has been to the one in Washington, D.C.

Family is very important to me. My father died when I was 12 and even though people tell me that death is part of life, I miss him.

My grandmother would have said I was friendly. A good person. Delightful. I have a good job and I’m proud that I have succeeded even after losing people close to me.

P.A.C.E. helped me make a new life—and I got to meet new people and make friends. Living on my own and managing my own money is important. It’s important that my family knows I can succeed.

Graham Higgens

I work at Kohl’s Children’s Museum as an exhibit guide—and I like working with kids. At the museum, my favorite exhibits are Dominick’s Habitat Park and the Water and Music Room. There are boats you can float in the water and we have special aprons for the kids to wear so they don’t get too wet.

My parents didn’t hover and they are nice people. I’m an only child and so they spent a lot of time with me. At the museum I sometimes see parents who hover too much—and who yell at their kids when they don’t share.

It was hard being away from home at first. But it was nice living in a dorm. Having a roommate. Sharing about your day. Having someone to talk to. And if we have problems we talk it out.

Being independent means getting around by myself. Like going to the movies with friends. I liked Sweeney Todd and the Harry Potter movies but my favorite movie is The Lord of the Rings—all three parts.

The P.A.C.E. program helps you grow—and lets other people know who you really are.

Josh Wiener

Being independent means being on my own. Paying my bills. I’m a transporter at a hospital. I take adults in wheelchairs to other rooms where they get tests. There’s never a dull moment. Sometimes the patients are scared. They don’t talk or they get confused.

The P.A.C.E. teachers helped with issues and problems. Like living on your own. Budgeting. Transportation.

My parents were very helpful—and Ms. Kite was like a second Mom.